


Mates

by Stormlyht



Series: This Town That Loves Me [13]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Some kissing, This town loves Derek, light making out, lots of talking, stiles not so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 16:04:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1716536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormlyht/pseuds/Stormlyht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles gave Derek an ultimatum.  Derek delivers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mates

**Author's Note:**

> So here's the deal. I wrote this, I even read through it and fixed a few things this time around. It makes sense to me, but sometimes I write things and it makes sense to me even though it won't make sense to others because *I* know what I'm thinking. If anyone gets to the end and is confused by my explanations, or you know, gets to the explanations and is confused, let me know? I want this to be pretty clear, what Derek knows and understands, so if it's not, just tell me? Maybe with a comment of what section is confusing? Thanks!
> 
> Hope you all enjoy, this was fun to write!

“Stiles,” Derek started, but Stiles held up his hand.

“If you’re going to try to tell me that now is not the time,” he smiled as he leaned a little closer to Derek, heart pounding fiercely in his chest. “Then you can stay right there Derek. How’s that sound?”

For an instant Stiles felt bad for his ultimatum as Derek hung his head and his shoulders slumped. “I really… there’s so much… it’s…” he stumbled over the words and Stiles reached out a hand to touch Derek’s shoulder.

“Look. You always come to me to research things, and you always walk right into my room to ask for help. I do, because that’s what I’m good at, so now that there’s this big bad enemy that has instructed you to kill your beta’s I think you should tell me why it is that he seemed to defer to me in relation to your decision. If he thinks I’m important enough to warrant some consideration then the least you can do is the same thing. Right?” Maybe it was the drugs talking, but Stiles felt certain he was right. Of course he usually felt like he was right, so that could also just be his personality.

“If I promise to tell you everything I know about them, can I come in and sit on the bed instead of on the roof?” Derek finally said, voice soft and low.

“Yes!” Stiles sighed as he moved away from the window and motioned for Derek to enter. “Please, come in and sit down on the bed and tell me everything you know about mates.” Then he paused as Derek began climbing into the room. “Wait!” Derek paused and lifted his gaze to look at Stiles. “You do promise, don’t you?”

“Yes Stiles,” Derek said with a sigh and a rolling of his eyes. “I promise.”

“Okay then.”

Stiles went over to his desk chair and sat down, turning it around to face the bed so when Derek sat down they would still be looking at each other. For several long moments they just sat there, Derek occasionally running his hand through his hair so it began to stick up in all directions and Stiles just sitting there. Watching. Waiting. His foot began to tap. One finger beat a counter rhythm on his knee. His other foot joined the mix. Derek didn’t even look up at him.

“Okay, stop!” Derek said, finally lifting his gaze and looking at Stiles. “You’re driving me crazy.”

“I’m driving *you* crazy? You haven’t said a thing and I’m going nuts.” Stiles stopped moving though, grabbing a pen off of his desk and chewing on the cap to distract him. “You’re being all silent and broody over there and I have no idea what’s going on in your mind and I could just -“ but he paused, as Derek was raising his eyebrows. “I could just shut up. You know, maybe.” Pursing his lips together, he waited. Again.

“Mates… it’s something we don’t hear about very often. I think, it doesn’t happen a lot, so his behavior is strange.” Derek sighed gain. Stiles was beginning to think that was the only way Derek knew how to breathe for the moment. Just, sighs. “I know my parents were mated. I don’t think my Uncle was. I’m pretty sure that Erica and Vernon might be. They haven’t… taken that step yet so I don’t know for sure.”

“What step?” Stiles asked, unable to keep his mouth shut any longer.

“Sex. It…” He licked his lips and ran a hand up one arm. “It’s different. For us. As far as permanent partners go.” Taking another breath, he nodded and launched into a speaking frenzy. “While it’s not true that we find one partner and stay with them our whole lives, when we find the *right* partner, we do. Some packs play with the word mate, suggesting that whomever you’re bonded with you’re with forever, but true werewolf mates are different. It’s not about choosing your partner, or making a bond with them because you love each other. It’s about need. When a werewolf finds their mate, it’s someone who completes them, more fully than you can understand as a human. It’s a bond that forms instantly and grows deeper over time. Some mates have known each other for years and then they decide to date. When they have sex though… that… that clinches it.”

“You’re saying that sex forces the bond of mates? Or something?” Stiles asked, trying to understand the flow of information coming from Derek, which he thought would be easier if Derek said it linearly instead of being all over the place.

“It doesn’t force the bond, it cements it. Different. Usually a mated pair will not have sex until they’re ready. It’s something they avoid, something they skirt around for a long time before the action actually happens. With my parents, they dated for years, and then finally he asked her to marry him and when she said yes, they did it. Mom used to say…” he paused, his eyes going far away and soft around the edges. Stiles held his breath, afraid to interrupt the thoughts going through Derek’s head. “That Dad made her bloom. She said she had done everything imaginable, but just being in his presence made her feel alive.”

Stiles thought he could understand that feeling. With a smile, he nodded and relaxed into the chair. He really could. “So, it happened to your parents, but it’s rare?” he encouraged.

“Yes,” Derek focused on Stiles again, eyes a little damp. “Dad used to say that finding your mate was something that happened once in a blue moon, that I shouldn’t wait for it to happen, because most people never find the one. I believed him.” He looked away and took another deep breath. “I believed him.”

There was something in the way he said that that made Stiles stand up and walk over to Derek, resting his hands on Derek’s shoulders. “Okay. So, you think that humans can’t make mates or something?”

“I’ve never heard of it happening with a human,” Derek said, leaning into Stiles but not looking at him. “I mean, I haven’t heard of mates happening a lot, and I didn’t really get around to meeting a whole bunch of other packs or anything. Although werewolves do have human partners, Peter for instance, that doesn’t mean that they have a mate with them.” He finally looked up at Stiles. “I’m sorry. I just don’t think he’s right.”

Stiles shrugged, lifting a hand to wipe some of the hair out of Derek’s face. “Whatever dude, I’m sixteen, not ready to be anyone’s permanent partner. I mean,” he flailed a little. “I mean, permanent in that I’m only with one person, but not… not like, married, which it sounds like this kind of is. Not that I wouldn’t marry you, just that I don’t think I’m ready to settle down and have babies yet, you know?” Foot, Stiles thought to himself. Meet mouth.

For all the random words coming out of his mouth though, Derek smiled at him and brought one hand to Stiles’ waist to pull him closer. “I know what you mean Stiles.” He lifted his hand to the back of Stiles’ neck and pulled him down enough to press a soft kiss on Stiles’ lips.

It was everything Stiles needed, but didn’t know he did. Gentle and soothing, one hand at his waist, one kneading the nape of his neck, warm and comfortable. Stiles fell into the kiss easily, crawling into Derek’s lap so he could be closer to the other man, legs on each side of Derek’s thighs, chest to chest. His arms wrapped around Derek and held him close, and they kissed. Again and again, always light, never demanding, for a long time before Stiles finally backed away.

“That was… yeah Derek, that was nice,” he breathed, leaning his head onto Derek’s shoulder and taking several deep breaths.

“I thought at first you might hit me,” Derek mumbled and Stiles laughed.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because we’ve been fighting,” Derek said. “I shouldn’t have… we’re still talking. Right? You aren’t giving in this easily are you?” Then a hand slipped under Stiles’ shirt and stroked against his back.

With a groan, Stiles shook his head. “No, you’re right, I’m not.” He bat ineffectually at the hand. “Stop that.”

With a chuckle, Derek pulled his hand away and simply held Stiles close. “I really don’t know much.”

“So you’re saying that a mate is someone a wolf gets attached to and it’s a permanent bond which is forged when they have sex together? And what? They both just know when the deed is done?” he asked finally, backing away enough to look at Derek.

“That’s what I know,” Derek shrugged.

“Okay. And you don’t think it happens with humans. And it’s rare. Really rare.” He wanted to make sure he had his points down right.

“Yeah.”

“And can a mated pair, like never become mated? Like, say they date, decide they aren’t right for each other, and break up and each of them moves really far away, could they get and have lives away from each other and never know they were missing out on something better?”

Derek frowned and shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess so. I think half the mate belief stems from the understanding that you’ve found the person who completes you. Not that I disbelieve what my parents said, just that I think it’s not like you know until it happens. You know?”

“Why did Deucalion back down when he thought I was your mate then?” Stiles asked, knowing that was the real question hidden in the confusion.

“I think… because a mate bond is something that can’t be broken. Unless one part dies, but I’ve heard stories that if one part dies, the other follows.”

“So if I was your mate, I would have to agree that what you’re doing is right, or our bond could suffer?” Stiles asked with a frown. So much knowledge locked up in Derek’s head, and he didn’t even know it. If only Stiles could get all of it out, maybe make a book? That would be great. He could organize his online journal and get it all printed or something. When it was big enough to not be just a flyer.

“Our bond could break, killing both of us. If we aren’t… which doesn’t mean we couldn’t argue, just that if we argued about something like pack, where we both were on separate sides so fully believing in our side that neither one of us would back down, it could kill us. Just… that alone.” Derek caught Stiles’ eyes and held them. They were warm, green, and mesmerizing. For a second, Stiles wanted to kiss them.

“Okay.” He nodded but didn’t lose the gaze. “So if we both agree that we aren’t on his side, what does he do then?”

“He could force the issue like he was just trying to do, or he could… back down and away? Maybe? I don’t know Stiles, none of this makes sense. I can’t even understand why he would think we were mates in the first place.”

“But he said it right away,” Stiles said, thinking back to the incident. “He specifically said, “I was unaware you had a *mate* Derek. I see, of course you need some time to think about things.” Which leads me to believe that he was certain of his words.”

“Just because he’s certain of his words doesn’t mean I’m certain of them,” Derek said, but Stiles was hardly listening, already thinking ahead to the next step.

“Let’s play it,” he said as he nibbled at his lip. “Pretend, say we are, say we agree, that you shouldn’t kill your beta’s. See what he says.” He looked down at Derek. “Worth a shot, right?”

“You seriously want to play the role of my mate in front of someone who can read lies like you read the internet?” Derek asked, eyebrows raising.

“Why not? I mean, we’re dating, we’re close. Is it really a role if I’m actually invested in it? You might not be my mate in the way he’s thinking, but I don’t mind the word being placed on us.” It actually made him kind of warm and giddy inside. His face broke out in a big grin.

“No.” Derek shook his head. “I won’t use the word if I don’t mean it.”

“Oh my God!” Stiles asked, eyes widening. “You’re one of *those*, aren’t you?” Of course Derek would be a hopeless romantic. Of course he was.

“One of what?” Derek asked as he narrowed his eyes at Stiles.

“Romantic. Won’t say love unless he means it, won’t get married unless he wants forever, won’t take the next step if he doesn’t believe it’s perfect. I never would have expected.” Stiles laughed but it faded at the dark, hurt look flowing in Derek’s eyes. He slowly slumped, feeling a little like he’d just kicked a puppy, and wasn’t that hilarious in its own right?

“Fine. Don’t expect it.” Derek stood up and Stiles found himself flailing as he tried to catch his balance. Derek waited just long enough to help Stiles stand properly before he began walking towards the window.

“Oh, wait! No, no, no Derek, don’t go!” he cried out, flinging his arms around one of Derek’s and held on tight. It bulged and flexed in his arms and Stiles didn’t care. His heart was beating fast and furious and all he knew was that he didn’t want Derek to think Stiles didn’t appreciate Derek’s feelings.

He knew he couldn’t actually stop Derek, so when the other man paused and glanced at him he knew it was because Derek was making the decision. “What is it Stiles? I think we’re done with this conversation.”

“We aren’t,” Stiles shook his head. “We really aren’t.” Taking a breath of his own, he backed away and looked at Derek. “Okay, I was being silly, laughing like that, it’s just you have this bad boy attitude and look and you never struck me as the type to really *get* how important those things are. I guess I just figured you were the type to kind of… be a playboy I guess.” He shrugged. “It’s… it’s awesome you aren’t. I wasn’t laughing at you exactly, more that I was laughing at my own preconceived notions, that I kind of should have known better than to believe because you have never done things half way before.”

Derek was looking at him with raised eyebrows and wide eyes and Stiles just wanted to kiss him again. So he did. Leaned forward, pressed his lips against Derek’s own and held the man close. Derek was still under him for a few moments, but then pulled Stiles close and turned so they could fall onto the bed, Stiles under Derek. He would have chuckled, but Derek’s tongue flicked out and brushed across Stiles’ lips so Stiles opened his mouth and practically pulled that tongue in. His hands were everywhere, stroking up Derek’s body, slotting his hips against Derek’s, feeling their own hardnesses bump against each other.

They shouldn’t be doing this, but Stiles wanted Derek to know how much he got it, and it felt ridiculously good. For long moments they kissed, touched and rubbed against each other, Stiles finding himself getting very close to coming in his pants. Then Derek stiffened in his arms and pulled away completely.

Stiles licked his lips and groaned as Derek slid off the bed and started walking away. “Your father’s home,” he said and Stiles whimpered, falling back into the bed. “I… I have to go.”

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded. “But you’re coming back and we’re going to talk about this more big man,” he said as he unburied his face. This had been a really long day, but he felt a whole lot better now than he had at the beginning of it.

“I know.” Derek had been crawling out the window, but he paused and looked at Stiles. “I'm… going to try to do that more often.”

“Kiss? Yes, kissing should be all the time,” Stiles agreed.

“No,” Derek snorted. “Talk.”

As Stiles digested that word, Derek left. Stiles should have said something else, like good, or okay, or damn straight skippy, but instead he found his mouth hanging open. Derek was going to try to communicate? Holy shit. The world was about to go to hell. Or something equally horrific. Either that, or maybe Deucalion wasn’t too far off from the mates thing.

Mates. Stiles stared up at his ceiling as he thought about that. Stay forever with Derek? Be in his pack for certain. Always be around the broody asshole, have an actual say in what happens to them all. Yeah. He thought he liked the idea pretty well.


End file.
